Old wisdom about beauty
October 9, 2013 3:59 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for books featuring old wisdom about skincare and haircare. Recipes and advice. I'm thinking orris root powder, muslin cloths and buttermilk, brush your hair 100 times before bed. From the English-speaking world or otherwise. Either written in previous centuries, 20th century, or recently. Even 1950s-60s if they don't rely too much on commercial products. There were a lot of books about grandma's beauty routine printed in the 1970s. Can anyone suggest some classics or particularly good ones?
Similar to this.
Note: there should be absolutely no mention of Dr Bronner's or the oil cleansing method.
Best answer: I came across this book about ten years ago and quite like it. It was late-20th-Century (1990's), but uses "traditional beauty secrets" from lots of different world cultures, and thus still may indeed be what you're looking for.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:40 AM on October 9, 2013
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:40 AM on October 9, 2013
Best answer: Lindsey Woodhead's War Paint is a biography of Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden specifically, but it also goes into detail about what women did before commercial products were marketed in the way they are today, such as powdered colours for nails.
I also remember a lot of 'home remedies' appearing in teenage magazines in the 80s, such as washing your hair with beer. If you can get hold of a Jackie magazine or annual (Flickr may have scans) then you'll find a few there.
posted by mippy at 9:53 AM on October 9, 2013
I also remember a lot of 'home remedies' appearing in teenage magazines in the 80s, such as washing your hair with beer. If you can get hold of a Jackie magazine or annual (Flickr may have scans) then you'll find a few there.
posted by mippy at 9:53 AM on October 9, 2013
Response by poster: These books sound great, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
posted by inkypinky at 4:33 AM on October 12, 2013
posted by inkypinky at 4:33 AM on October 12, 2013
« Older So...is it my turn to ask him out now? | Short, stick in your head word or phrase for an... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
'About The Book
In this book, Shahnaz Husain makes a successful endeavor to spread the rich herbal heritage of India around the world. She offers complete and holistic beauty solutions. The topics include skin, face and hair care, hand and feet care, and tips on make-up. Shahnaz effectively combines ancient herbal remedies with scientific techniques. The book seeks to meet the burgeoning demand for cosmetics made of herbs and other natural products. Moreover herbal beauty-aids can be prepared at home according to your very personal requirements and tastes. And since these are relatively cheaper, you can have many more natural cosmetics without stretching your budget' (source)
posted by Ziggy500 at 4:12 AM on October 9, 2013